Former Laredo Police Officer Ordered to Federal Prison for Deprivation of Civil Rights

WASHINGTON—Frank Carter, 43, a former officer with the Laredo, Texas Police Department (LPD), has been sentenced to prison following his conviction for violating the civil rights of an arrestee, announced Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Carter pleaded guilty on Thursday, March 7, 2013.

Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Carter a sentence of a year and a day in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, Judge Saldana commended Carter for accepting responsibility for his actions. Carter will also have to complete 75 hours of community service in the first six months following his release from prison.

Carter admitted that on May 26, 2012, while using his authority as a LPD officer, he struck a male victim who was handcuffed and detained in the backseat of Carter’s patrol car. Carter admitted he struck the victim several times.

According to information presented in court at the time of the plea, rear-facing dash camera audio and video recordings revealed Carter had yelled obscenities at the victim while he punched the victim in the head and body. Carter also repeatedly slammed the victim’s face into the back of the seat. The victim remained handcuffed during the entire incident and never resisted or attempted to harm Carter.

Carter was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

This case was investigated by the LPD, FBI, and Texas Rangers. Civil Rights Division Trial Attorneys Ryan Murguia and Christopher Lomax and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruben R. Perez prosecuted the case.